Home » Adventures » Autumn Red Deer Rut Walks
The famous Martindale Red Deer Rutting season will soon be upon us. The bellows of the Red Deer Stags echo around the valleys to the east of Ullswater, Boredale, Martindale, Bannerdale and Fusedale are the steep sided valleys where they are best heard. Dawn and dusk they are in full voice and throughout the daytime in the height of rutting season. The stags can be heard and seen from early October to mid November, but can vary slightly from year-to-year.
WALK DETAILS: 14km & 600m ascent - 6 hours walk time approx.
WALK 1 - Meet 9:15, Glenridding Steamer Pier, approx finish time 4pm
6th, 20th October 2023
Head to Patterdale, up onto the fell, and drop into Martindale Valley for a glorious sight and sound of the rutting red deer.
14km & 600m ascent BOOK HERE
WALK 2 - Meet 6:30am, Glenridding Steamer Pier, approx finish time 1pm (or 3pm if we return on a later steamer)
5th, 22nd October 2023
Walk across Bedafell, into Martindale / return steamer Howtown to Glenridding 12:55 or 14:25, weather dependent
14km & 600m ascent BOOK HERE
WALK 3 -Meet 9:15, Glenridding Steamer Pier, approx finish time 4pm
4th, 13th, 19th October 2023
Ullswater Steamer to Howtown / return walk over Bedafell, with views and sightings to the Red Deer down into Martindale and Boredale
14km & 700m ascent BOOK HERE
Please email us to make a booking and arrange a date to suit you if you cannot make the walk dates above :bookings@hikinghighs.co.uk
We are offering these special days out with a trip on the Ullswater Steamers to start or finish your day on the fells.
Our local Mountain Leaders are all set to lead you safely into the hills and valleys to hear this extraordinary phenomenon at a beautiful time of year. Your guide will take binoculars for folk to share, spot and hear our beautiful red deer stags and hinds congregating from far and wide in these valleys for the rut.
The autumn colours will be upon us as the fellsides turn golden. Autumn can also be prone to wet days, but the Hiking Highs team embrace this and will give you confidence to walk over any slippy or technical parts on the trails. Remember the fell is illuminated with colour after the rain falls!
The Famous Autumn Red Deer Rut in the Ullswater and Martindale area of the Lake District is a hidden gem as the bellowing of stags echoes around Martindale and Boredale. Join us with your binoculars to experience this truly magical connection to nature.
